Jackal Among Snakes

A man pulled free a wooden hatch, tossing it to the side. He offered his hand to help up someone down below, but a big, gauntleted hand grabbed onto the wood. Galamon pulled himself up, then reached down and grabbed Argrave, hauling him second. Thirdly, Durran offered up Elenore, and he lifted her gently and set her aside. She winced when her prosthetic feet met the ground, and blood dripped down them slowly.

“Gods. Never seen the princess bloodied,” noted a woman standing by the door. She wore a wide-brimmed and plumed tellerbarret that partially hid long red hair, and cast a nice shadow over her pretty, scarred face. She bore lightweight chainmail, though much of it was concealed by ostentatious, puffy clothing. Argrave’s gaze lingered on her, vision dancing from his haze of blood loss.

“This is Melanie,” Elenore said, leaning against a wall. “She’s a native of Relize. She’ll be leading our caravan there, establishing contact with trustworthy people.”

“I know,” Argrave straightened, feeling like every part of him was sore. Melanie was yet another protagonist from ‘Heroes of Berendar,’ and he wasn’t eager to deal with this. “Clothes give it away.”

Galamon helped Durran and Anneliese up next, then knelt, peering down below. The elven vampire’s armor was bloodied and scratched, but any wounds he might’ve taken in his task of lighting the fires and fending back the royal knights had healed. The man who’d taken off the hatch put it back on, then wiped his hands away.

Argrave looked to be sure that Anneliese was watching, then questioned Melanie, “You’re working solely for Elenore?”

Melanie frowned, yet the scars near her eyes made her seem oddly amused nonetheless. “Don’t answer to you.”

“You do. Answer him,” Elenore said harshly, kicking off where she leaned against.

“No one else funding me, sweetie. The trust you’re showing is utterly flooring,” Melanie said in irritation.

Anneliese gave no indication the woman was lying. Argrave nodded and said, “Let’s be off.”

“Ought to have someone look at that bleeding,” Durran stopped Elenore.

The princess looked ready to refuse, but eventually she nodded. “Once we’re settled in the caravan.”

#####

The caravan they entered was quite a nice one. It was entirely enchanted wood, made for transporting large quantities of grain. The caravan they travelled with had many other carts, each and all identical to the one they resided. It would be a good veil for concealing their movements. Relize constantly had food transported to it—its population was too large to be sustained by local agriculture alone. They would raise no flags travelling this way. Melanie handled all operations outside.

bench. He leaned with his back to the wall, utterly exhausted. He slowly ate biscuits that Anneliese gave to him. Galamon and Durran occupied the side opposite them,

Elenore’s leg slowly loosened. It

be so tight,”

crash to the floor,” she said through clenched teeth. As Durran wordlessly tended to her feet, she laid her head back against a bag of

travelling and Durran tending to Elenore. He was unimaginably thankful things had gone as well as they

some time for me to get them, I’m afraid. I don’t think they’ll be lost. My men—they’re smart, they know how to hide things. They’ve been hiding from the Order

her simply, patting her shoulder and offering a smile. With that, he

for a time—another

a few days,” Elenore cut back in. “I suspect he was the large cause of the commotion in the royal palace that caused our lucky break. If this is true, he may

soft beneath this metal, then?” Durran interrupted. “Look at this. These clamps leave bruises, cut open your skin.

grew silent at Durran’s lecturing, growing

profit based on what just occurred. I

lifted his head up. “Just say

and she leaned forward onto Argrave.

beneath his duster. “Why did she do that? Why didn’t she just give me up? I… all I’ve brought her is pain, yet she wouldn’t just sell me out. And now they’re with him, they’re both with HIM. I can’t. I can’t just… Why do I get to go,

but soothe and wait, letting her speak. He listened intently, offering whispered words of comfort where he thought they fit. She deserved this much, he thought. After a time, Elenore went quiet. Argrave briefly questioned if she was asleep, but her breathing was too erratic

them. Try to make sure I can

that nonsense behind you,” Argrave told her. “So we stop for a few

pulled away. “Staying in the city is a surefire way to be found,” Elenore disagreed

of secure and remote locations.” Argrave adjusted himself to turn his body. “Doing the right thing, doing the most pragmatic thing—more often than not, they’re not mutually exclusive.

firmly. “She’s in the heart of the palace. She’ll probably be executed now that her usefulness is at an end, or maybe disposed of quietly by Levin.” Elenore

can—all that you can. It might be that what you learn sticks with

would you know…” Elenore leaned

leaned in. “I know

grip and crossed her arms defensively. She stayed quiet for a long while, and Argrave started to settle back into his place. Anneliese gave him a smile and handed him

whispered. “For getting emotional. I can’t do that. It’s not right. It doesn’t

kicked the tribal